Explosion
by RixxiSpooks
Summary: When an explosion rips through the ER what happens to the staff? Who's trapped? Who's injured? Who's dead? And who admits their feelings?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, people, I'm depressed as I've just found out some spoilers for the end of season 13 and they do not bode well for my favorite character, I will not expand as it may ruin some people's day and make them as upset as me. **

**This story has been pestering me for ages and I have only just managed to get it down. It's been very hard to write and I've only written one chapter. This is a very angsty, dramatic story so don't kill me if you don't like what I do to the characters.**

**One last thing, apart from the fact I don't own ER, is that I'm from Britain and although I've heard about Ray and Neela getting closer together I haven't seen it. So my story is before that but leading up to it as I am an adamant Reela fan!**

**Read and give me your feedback comments please, in other words REVIEW!!**

"You gonna come into the ER with me today, Joe?" Luka smiled down at his baby son who blew a bubble at him, eyes bright and sparkling. "Looking forward to seeing your mom?" The baby managed a small twitch of the lips that looked like a smile as an answer. "I'll take that as a yes. She'll be happy to see you too, she's been missing you. Let's go."

Luka scooped the child out of his crib and placed him in the sling on his chest. He pulled a small blue hat with teddy bear ears over his soft, downy hair and gave Joe a stuffed penguin. The child's tiny fingers reacted naturally and gripped the object tightly. Finally, Luka picked up his bag and keys and headed out of the door.

The man walked down the busy street outside the house towards the hospital. He talked to Joe the whole way, cooing and chucking his chin. Joe gurgled back, feeling safety in his father's strong arms. Luka strolled into the ambulance bay and through the front doors, meeting Tony Gates on the way.

"Hey, boss," Gates grinned, "You brought the little fella, how's he doing?"

"He's fine thanks, Gates; shouldn't you be getting to your trauma?"

"Oh, yeah, right," Tony smiled sheepishly and headed out to meet the rig.

Luka carried on into the ER, greeting several nurses on the way and headed over to the admin desk. Frank was sat there, a grumpy looking boy standing beside him, a permanent scowl on his face.

"Hello, Frank, Alex," the Croatian nodded to them both, "What are you doing here?" He directed the last part at the child at the desk.

"Hi, Dr Kovac, Sam had to bring him in for some reason. She's off soon so she can take him home. Not being that great company for me," Frank looked pointedly at Alex who blatantly ignored him.

"Luka, d'you know where my mom is?" Alex asked.

"I don't know, I only just got in," Luka shrugged, "I'm sure she'll be out soon."

"Ok," Alex nodded and slumped onto a seat looking depressed.

Abby appeared just at that moment and spotted Luka and Joe. She smiled and hurried over, removing the child from the sling.

"Hello, Joe," she nuzzled his cheek with her nose and he burbled, clutching her fingers with his own. He snorted slightly and blew a raspberry, "How rude." Abby grinned and cuddled her son closer.

"How's it been?" Luka asked her affectionately.

"Exhausting, I'm gonna enjoy passing out on the couch when I get home," the woman rubbed her eyes with her free hand, "Which is in…" she looked at the clock, "Half an hour. Hurray."

"Lucky for some," Neela quipped in passing, "Abby, in that half an hour, could you help me with the incoming GSW? ETA two minutes."

"Sure, Luka, d'you wanna leave Joe in the lounge with one of the nurses and I can pick him up when I go?" Abby passed the child reluctantly back to Luka and headed after Neela.

"Er…well, technically I'm not on for about ten minutes so I can keep him company, save the nurses the trouble," Luka answered, departing to the doctor's lounge.

* * *

Hope pushed the gurney with the young patient, Frankie, lying on it. The girl had been admitted because of a foreign object stuck in her stomach which they had discovered to be a pair of scissors. God only knew how it got in there. She was going up the OR to have it taken out. The girl would not tell them how it got there.

Sam was on the other side of the gurney as they entered the elevator. She was talking to the child about boys.

"Yeah, so there's this boy that I really fancy but he's not interested," Frankie explained.

"How d'you know he's not interested?" Sam asked.

"Well, he's fifteen and I'm fourteen, so why would he notice me? Plus every time I try and talk to him he garbles this excuse about soccer and leaves," Frankie sighed.

"Sounds to me like he's totally into you," the nurse smiled.

"How'd you work that out?" the girl frowned, bewildered.

"He's trying to avoid you cos he's nervous and trying to work up the courage to ask you out. Why wouldn't a boy wanna go out with a pretty girl like you?" Sam answered and pressed the button for the OR. The elevator began to ascend.

* * *

Crenshaw wrung his hands together and tapped the wall impatiently, waiting for his patient to arrive. Those ER docs did insist on taking their time and always being late. He could be doing so much with other patients rather than wait for this most likely non existent scissor removal. Who ate scissors anyway?

"How's it going?" Lucien Dubenko asked as he passed.

"Nothing's going," Crenshaw replied, looking annoyed, "I'm waiting for a non existent patient."

"Sounds fun," Lucien smirked, "Have you seen Neela?"

"She's doing a surgical consult for _that _useless lot downstairs," Crenshaw scowled.

"Don't do that Dustin, the look does nothing for you," Lucien smiled and disappeared into a nearby room.

* * *

Ray raised an eyebrow and leant on the stairs as Morris spouted a whole load of crap about how he saved some guy with a bullet to the head. Ray knew it wasn't true; he'd got the true story from Abby who had been with Archie at the time. He didn't stop Morris though to correct him because he found it amusing to hear the senior doctor's spiel.

"And then I just pulled it out of his skull, it was like inches from his brain," Morris continued animatedly, "And he survived! The whole family thanked me of course and I told them that it was all in a days work."

"Sure, Morris, and I'm really an alien from Jupiter with two heads and three butt cheeks," Ray replied sarcastically.

"Huh?" Morris frowned, clearly confused.

"Doesn't matter," the young man shook his head exasperatedly, "You gonna leave me alone now? I kinda have patients to see."

"And so do I, you should learn from me," Morris exclaimed.

"Who are you? Yoda?"

"Ooh, yes, call me Yoda Morris! I'm off to save some more lives now. See ya!" Morris flounced off down the corridor and Ray sighed.

"I swear he's gay," he muttered.

"I agree," a voice beside him caused the resident to jump and spin round to see Dr Greg Pratt, "How you doing?"

"Fine, apparently I've gotta learn from Morris and save lives. Although, that's what I thought I was doing already," Ray answered.

"Don't listen to him, man, he's an idiot," Pratt laughed.

"You think I don't know?" Ray replied, chuckling.

"Anyway, what's going on with you and Neela?" Ray stopped laughing and became silent.

"Nothing, you know that, Greg. She's with Gates."

"Gates," Greg snorted, "He means nothing to her, trust me, Ray. Everyone knows you two belong together."

"Then how come I'm never the one she chooses to be with? First Michael, then Tony," Ray snapped bitterly.

"She just needs time, Ray, she's confused," Pratt said.

"I've given her time. I've given her space. I've sat back and watched her be with that jerk. I think I deserve to be noticed by her at least," the resident replied.

"I know, man," the attending sighed, seeing the younger man's anguish. He had no idea why Neela was doing this to Ray but he guessed she had her reasons.

Ray hung his head before walking several steps up and leaning on the banister, running a hand through his spiked hair. Pratt followed him up and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The young man looked at him, his hazel eyes swirling with emotion.

"I just…" Ray began but froze, "Can you smell that?"

"What?"

"Gas."

He was about to head down the stairs but before he could even raise a foot an immense heat blasted him off his feet and into the other doctor. Flames shot down the corridor as a huge explosion erupted and ripped throughout the whole hospital. Windows shattered and shards of deadly glass flew in all directions. The ceiling of the ER was blown completely out and the surrounding walls and floors above splintered collapsing on the unfortunate victims beneath. Balls of fire burst from the broken widows and licked up the sides of the building. Debris showered down on the survivors of the initial destruction, burying several of them alive.

* * *

Neela screamed as the force of the blast headed for the two women, frozen in terror. Abby grabbed her arm and hauled her out of the door; they sprinted across the ambulance bay and threw themselves to the hard floor as the power of the explosion knocked them flying. The heat singed the back of their clothes as they lay, sprawled on the ground.

* * *

The elevator shook violently and the occupants cried out in fright, Sam and Hope trying to keep the gurney steady so it didn't tip. They both ended up on the floor as the small box rocked and jerked. Frankie screeched in terror and struggled on the gurney, clutching to the metal sides in desperation. Sam yelled out in pain as she was smashed against the wall and her arm was crushed at an unnatural angle. There was a sickening crack as it broke.

* * *

Luka was thrown off his feet as the door was blown off its hinges and flames barrelled into the room. He only just had enough time to react and protect the baby in his arms with his body and shield it from the blaze as he hit the floor with a thud. A large piece of concrete was dislodged from the ceiling and it struck him on the head, knocking the man out cold. Shards of glass from the window following shortly after, raining down on his limp body. Joe was sheltered from the worst by his father's bulk. The child began to cry in distress.

* * *

Crenshaw gasped as the floor beneath him gave way and he was plunged into the rubble below. Smacking his head on a jutting out piece of concrete he was knocked unconscious and didn't feel the massive agony his body experienced on impact with the floor. More shrapnel and debris fell on top of his unmoving body, burying it from sight.

* * *

Alex dived under the admin desk as the explosion tore through the hospital. He didn't know exactly why he did and whether would help him survive or not but he did it anyway. Sheltering beneath the desk the young boy watched as fragments of the ceiling showered down around him, hoping that none of the bouncing bricks would ricochet off and hit him. It was then that the body of Frank fell down beside him, blood dripping from an ugly gash on his forehead. He was out cold. As much as Alex was annoyed by the old man he couldn't let him stay there to be hurt so he darted out from his hideout and dragged the heavy form of Frank under the desk with him, all the while thinking that he was about to be squashed by a piece of ceiling.

* * *

Morris felt the intense heat behind him as he was walking out of the double doors of the hospital. He spared a second to look behind him and saw the inferno heading his way. He squealed in fright and put on a spurt of speed, skidding out of the ER just after Abby and Neela. He charged to a nearby rig and jumped behind it, curling himself into a ball.

* * *

As he hit the stairs Ray cracked his head on a hard step and was dazed for a few seconds. He regained focus just in time to see a jagged brick hurtling straight at his head. With a reaction he hadn't thought he would be capable of he rolled to one side and sagged in relief as the debris hit the floor harmlessly. His reprieve was short lived, however, as the ceiling collapsed...

**Duh, duh, duuh! Please tell me what you think. Good? Bad? Should I continue? Is it quite well written? Please review and tell me and have a cookie!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, here's another dramatic if not gruesome chapter. I'm sorry if it freaks some of you out but I have a sick, twisted imagination...mwhahahaha! I just thought I'd tell you that I've already written a list of what happens to all the characters and most of it is not nice so if you want to save one in particular then you're gonna have to beg - a lot.**

**Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming! Enjoy...or not...**

Neela slowly lifted her head as the wave of heat passed and pushed herself up with her hands. She slid onto her knees and at that point noticed Abby do the same beside her. The woman was on her feet in seconds looking shocked at the carnage that was County Hospital. Her mouth hung slightly ajar and her eyes filled with dread. Neela pulled herself up beside her and she too stared in horror at the wreckage. The building looked fairly upright on the outside but even from the distance they were standing the doctors could see the interior was a different matter entirely. Flames were dancing through the windows and dust rising from the fallen debris spread rapidly, shrouding everything in a thick haze.

Suddenly a heavy hand fell on Neela's shoulder and she jumped, whirling round. Tony stood behind her, a dazed look on his face as if he couldn't quite believe what had just occurred. He finally managed to choke out a few words.

"Are you both ok?" Neela checked her body quickly for any obvious injuries and found none except a few cuts and grazes from the tarmac.

"Yeah, fine," Neela whispered but Abby didn't reply her gaze still fixed on the hospital.

"Joe…and Luka," she managed, fear etched on her features, "They're inside." A single tear rolled down her cheek as her mind ran through all the horrible possibilities that could have befallen the two most important people in her life.

It was then that Neela remembered someone. Ray. Her stomach turned a somersault and her breath became rapid, short and gasping. Was he on shift? Yes, she remembered seeing him earlier. Oh god, he was in there. Was he alright? Was he injured? Dead even? Her brain skimmed through all the things that could have happened to the cheeky resident. None of them were pleasant and all caused her heart to pump even faster.

"Hey, Neela, you really ok?" Tony asked, concerned. The young woman turned to him, her eyes wide and scared, she uttered a single word.

"Ray." With that she was off, charging towards the rubble, one purpose on her mind. She began to climb into the dingy interior of the collapsed hospital.

"Neela!" Gates ran after her and grabbed her arm.

"I have to get to him, Tony," Neela tried to pull her arm free but to no avail.

"To who?"

"Ray. He's in there and he could be hurt!" Neela replied.

"There's no point going in there, you'll get yourself killed."

"I don't care; I need to know if he's ok!" Gates couldn't help but feel a little unwanted and jealous at her desperate tone.

"But Neela…" Tony began.

"Don't Tony, I love him!" With the abrupt announcement a startled Gates released her arm and Neela was free to dive into the darkness.

"Neela! No! Come back!" The man made to go in after her but was stopped as there was an almighty crash and more of the ceiling thundered down, sealing the inside from view and blocking his path, "NEELA!"

* * *

As she made her way through the deathly silent ER Neela felt uneasy. She spotted several prone bodies on the floor and a few people wailed but they were being attended to by members of the staff that had full mobility. She managed to ignore them and follow the sole purpose she had come in for. Finding Ray.

She picked a path over some rubble and found herself beside the door to the Doctor's lounge. Neela peered in the gloomy interior but couldn't see anyone so continued on her way. As she walked she kicked something soft and, although apprehensive of what she might find, bent down to see what it was. Her fingers closed on something furry and she scooped it up. In the flickering light from the fires she could see it was soft penguin. Strange. Must have been dropped by a patient. She thought nothing more of it and climbed further into the devastation unaware of the child who the toy belonged to whimpering in the room she'd just passed.

* * *

"Sam? Sam!" a worried voice brought the nurse out of unconsciousness. She groaned and opened her eyes only to be met by an almost complete blackness. She felt so lethargic and didn't want to move an inch but was painfully alerted as someone tugged her arm and a sharp, unbearable jabbing agony tore through her arm.

"Ahh!" she cried out.

"Sam," Hope's face appeared in front of her eyes, looking anxious, "You're awake."

"Why does my arm hurt?" Sam croaked, struggling to sit up and see the limb in question.

"You've broken it really bad. It's a compound fracture," Hope informed her just as she caught a glimpse of the injury. It almost made her pass out again as she spotted the white bone glistening in the dark as it poked out of her arm. She felt like throwing up.

"I can see that," the wounded nurse replied, gritting her teeth to fight the pain. "What happened?"

"I don't exactly know. The elevator just started shaking and then all the lights went out. I was knocked out and when I woke it had stopped. I can't open the door, it's jammed."

"How's Frankie?" Sam asked, remembering their patient.

"She's fine, just a bit scared," Hope answered, glancing up at the almost invisible gurney beside them.

"So we're stuck?"

"Yes, and I don't know how long for," the younger woman replied.

"Well that's just great," Sam sighed and then suddenly remembered something, "Oh my god, Alex was at admit! What's happened to him? Is he ok?" The nurse jolted up and began to try and stand.

"I don't know, Sam, I'm sure he's fine. Frank'll look after him. You have to calm down," Hope placed a firm yet comforting hand on Sam's shoulder and pushed her back down, "Now, let me look at your arm."

* * *

Ray's eyes flickered open and he coughed violently as he inhaled a mixture of smoke and dust. His head was throbbing like crazy and the rest of him felt like it had been run over by a truck. But he was alive, that was the main thing. The resident began to try and sit up but found much to his anxiety, that he couldn't move his legs. He craned his neck to see what the obstruction was and noticed that, although the majority of the ceiling had missed him, a large slab had landed on his legs and pinned him to the floor. What worried him most was that he couldn't feel the pain in his legs, they just felt numb. That wasn't good. He struggled slightly, wriggling the lower part of his body but he couldn't shift the heavy weight. What did please him though was that he felt a sudden twinge on his femur as his position shifted and a dull ache began in his bones. Although it was thoroughly uncomfortable and sore; he still had feeling.

The young man twisted his head round at that point, to see if he could get a better perspective of the situation he was in. There was rubble all around him and several different limbs poked out from beneath it all. He swallowed down bile as it rose in his throat. Several separate blazes were going across the area he could see. Burning nearby desks and chairs. His gaze swept over more life less bodies and he shuddered to think just how many were dead.

Ray's eyes finally finished their roam of the vicinity as the man came to rest on what he thought at first was a piece of debris but then he realised, to his shock and horror was the face of Dr Greg Pratt. His eyes were wide and glassy and for a second Ray thought he was alive but that thought was wiped clean away as he saw the shard of glass wedged in the side of his head. Blood dripped out of the man's nose and a strange transparent liquid mixed with it. A pool of blood and brain matter had formed beside him. Greg was most definitely dead.

**I told you it was gross :) Wish you'd heeded to my warning now? And there's more where that came from! Other than that, review and have a marshmellow!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Next scary chapter! Yay! Now you all know how serious I am about killing people off! Hehe! Poof! And Greg Pratt was no more! I am in complete control! Unless you ask for people to be saved! Man, I sound like an evil killer-maniac! Not good! Ah well, thanks for all the reviews so far! They keep my grotesque, morbid imagination ticking over and keep the chapters coming.**

Ray threw up, he couldn't help it. The sight of one of his colleagues, one of his friends in that state was too much. Which was not good considering he was lying flat on his back and the vomit had nowhere to go. He began to choke, his body arched violently as he tried to dislodge it, his eyes became wide. Christ, how could he survive an explosion only to die by choking on his own sick? But he was going to; no one was there to help him with Pratt being dead. Ray's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he coughed, struggling to breathe.

Suddenly, as if it by a miracle, a figure scrambled through a small hole in the rubble and sprawled into the dingy cave like area. She picked herself up and Ray recognised her.

"Neela!" he wheezed. Neela's ears pricked up at the sound and then she saw the writhing body of Ray on the floor. She gasped.

"Ray!" she dived down beside him, scattering debris all about, "What's wrong?!" She realised that the young resident was coughing and spluttering. "You're choking!" Swiftly Neela tipped Ray's head back and stuck two fingers down his throat causing him to gag even more but fortunately she managed to scoop the vomit out of his airway. The man managed to draw in a life saving deep breath.

"Oh my god, Ray!" Neela, once he had regained regular breathing, grabbed him and hugged him tightly, "You're ok!"

"Yeah, just," Ray smiled weakly, "But…Pratt..." He gestured behind Neela and she turned round, letting out a small scream when she saw the unmoving body of Greg.

"Greg!" she darted forwards and felt for a pulse knowing full well, with the obvious injury he had, that he couldn't have survived. Tears streamed down her face and she slumped back on her haunches.

"Neela, it's too late," Ray whispered and she whipped round to face him.

"Why didn't you help him?!" she looked furious and Ray frowned.

"In case you haven't noticed I'm kinda stuck here! D'you think I would've lain here if I wasn't and watched my friend die?! Or remained on the floor to choke on my own sick? Do you?!" the man shouted but stopped suddenly as a wave of pain shot through him and he cried out in agony. Neela's hand flew to her mouth and she climbed over to where he was. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn't she think there must be a valid reason that Ray was lying on his back just after an explosion?

"I'm sorry," Neela said, looking up and down Ray's length for any injuries. It was then she noticed his crushed legs and she gasped.

"They're pretty bad aren't they?"

"Yes…I mean no….they're gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine," Neela scanned the rest of his limbs but found nothing out of place. She returned her gaze to his legs. They were pretty mangled. She couldn't even see the lower part of his legs under the rubble. His thighs were grazed and torn, blood dripping steadily from several gashes. What she did see though, as she moved a piece of brick made her stomach lurch. A jagged end of Ray's broken femur stuck out from his flesh. The ragged wound looked extremely painful and Neela looked at Ray's face to see what his reaction would be to her touching it lightly. He jerked in agony and he drew in a sharp intake of breath.

"Is it broken?" he asked. Neela nodded mutely, concentrating on her examination.

"Great," Ray sighed, "D'you know what happened?"

"No," Neela replied, not looking up.

"I think it was a gas explosion," the resident announced.

"Maybe," Neela gently pushed on the bone and Ray yelped, "Sorry."

"S'ok," Ray said, his face contorted in pain, "When do you think we're gonna get out of he…?" His question was interrupted as there was a sudden ominous crack from the floor below them, "What was that?"

"I don't know," Neela also looked worried, fear clear in her brown eyes. The ground creaked again and there was a snap. Suddenly, the ground beneath them groaned and fell in.

* * *

Abby stared at the wreckage. She had no way of getting in to help Joe and Luka now the entrance had collapsed. She couldn't bear to think what had happened to them. Her baby was inside that rubble and she could do nothing to help him. What kind of mother was she? But she had no choice; she knew that, she could only hope that Luka was keeping their child safe.

"Abby," a voice moaned from behind her and she turned round to see Morris staggering towards her, a deep laceration on his head, "Can you help me?"

"Where have you been?" she hurried over and took his bloodied hand away from his head to get a better look.

"Behind that rig," Archie gestured wildly around him.

"Right," Abby nodded, concerned he may have concussion, "Morris, can you tell me where we are?"

"Sure, we're at County and it went kaploof!" the man threw his arms in the air.

"Kaploof? Ok, I guess that's not much different from usual," the doctor shrugged and checked the tender skin.

"Man, this place is gonna need a paint job," Morris commented, clearly delirious.

"Why couldn't you have died?" Gates came up beside them, sighing.

"That's not very nice, Gates, I love you too," Morris replied.

"What's this guy on?" Gates looked scared as Archie leaned on him making puppy dog eyes.

"He's got mild concussion so leave him alone," Abby answered, pointing at Tony.

"Alright, Doc," Gates grinned.

"How can you be all smiles when half our colleagues are stuck inside there?"

"Someone has to keep up the moral," the intern shrugged and sauntered off.

* * *

Lucien blinked rapidly as his eyes opened and he sat up slowly. He looked around him but everything was hazy and he realised he'd lost his glasses. Feeling around him with his hands he tried to find them but flinched and withdrew as a piece of glass embedded itself in his palm. The man looked at his blurry limb but couldn't see it well enough to remove the offending object.

It was then that he recalled what had happened. He had just talked to Dustin and was preparing to go into surgery when the floor had given way. He remembered vaguely seeing Crenshaw disappear over the edge. What had happened to him?

Carefully, the surgeon rose gingerly to his feet and found that, thankfully, none of his limbs were badly damaged. He stumbled a bit as he shuffled across the rubbish strewn floor and headed for the hole that he'd seen Dustin fall into. Peering cautiously into dark pit he couldn't really see anything except a few vague outlines and that wasn't just because of his lack of glasses. The dust rising from all the fallen ceiling was immensely thick and caused Lucien to cough violently.

Stepping back slightly he heard a crunch and sighed when he realised what he'd stood on. His glasses. Bending down he warily felt the floor and found his shattered glasses. He picked them up and inspected the lenses. One side was completely smashed, the side he'd stood on, but the other was still intact. He pushed them onto the bridge of his nose and found he could see reasonably well. Lucien attempted to look for Crenshaw again.

In the clearing dust he could make out a pile of rubble below and he looked closer to see if there was any sign of his fellow surgeon. It was then he spotted the single arm sticking out of the debris, streaked with scarlet blood. It was flexing spasmodically and Lucien couldn't tell whether that was reflex or whether the person was asking for help. He also couldn't work out if it was Dustin or not.

Scrambling to the edge he slithered down on a loose slab that was still attached to the remaining ceiling which acted as a slide. Dubenko made it to the lower floor with some difficulty and landed beside the twitching hand. He began to move the bricks.

* * *

Alex leant over the prone man and slapped him, hard. "Wake up!" he demanded. Frank didn't respond other than to roll over slightly and groan. "Wake up dammit, you stupid old man!" Frank remained unconscious. Alex was getting desperate, he didn't like being stuck in there with no one to look after him, he needed an adult and Frank was the only one there.

When the ceiling had collapsed a lot of it had fallen on the admit desk and it was a miracle they'd survived. The problem was that the slab of ceiling had formed a sort of lid on the desk and Alex couldn't work which way was out with no light. It was very unnerving.

The boy gulped and hit Frank again. The ex-cop's eyes stayed closed. Alex felt tears stream down his cheeks. His face hurt from where the fierce flames had burnt him mercilessly and his chest felt tight and constricted. He guessed it was from too much smoke inhalation. He wondered if he would ever get out alive. Would he ever see his mom again? He promised that if he got out of this mess then he would never disrespect her again.

* * *

A small baby cried out, feeling lost and scared. He wanted to be safe in his mother's arms again, warm and comfortable. But at the moment he was trapped under the dead weight of his dad with no way of letting anyone know he was there. No matter how much he wailed no one heard the child's distraught cries above the chaos outside.

**Mwhahaha! I'm so evil! I'm sorry about that! Poor Joe! Anyway, to save him...REVIEW! Wow, I sound like one of those presenters on those singing shows where you have to keep them in till the end. How bout I kill each person off one by one? What d'you think to that?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Whoo, next chapter. Er...not much happens...hmm...but I'm being mean to Neela and Ray! Yay! Hehe! Read and review please!**

Neela groaned and tried to sit up, as she did so an excruciating pain stabbed through her stomach, she doubled over in agony.

"Neela?" a voice called out through the darkness that surrounded her and she recognised it as Ray, "Are you ok?!"

"Yeah," Neela managed to gasp, "I'm fine." She screwed her eyes up and gritted her teeth, willing whatever was causing her this pain to go away.

"Ok, I think the floor fell in and we're like in the basement or something. I can't see a thing, where are you?" Ray yelled.

"Er…I'm over here," Neela shouted back, wincing and clutching her side.

"That's helpful, Neela, really helpful," Ray replied sarcastically, "I'm free by the way; the collapse must have dislodged the slab. My leg still hurts like hell though. I don't think the other's broken, it's just superficial."

"That's good," Neela answered, her face contorted as she fought from crying out. Ray needed her help right now, she didn't need to worry him.

"Are you sure you're ok, Neela, you don't sound too good," the injured man's concerned voice said sharply.

"I'm fine, Ray!" Neela replied defiantly, "I'll come over to where you are." Carefully, feeling her way with her hands the young woman managed to struggle over to the direction of Ray's voice. She shuffled on her knees and found they were torn and ripped by shards of glass when she'd moved about a metre. She couldn't see a thing in the dingy light that they were shrouded in. Neela felt very enclosed and claustrophobic.

Suddenly she hit something soft and there was a grunt of pain. "Hey, watch it, Neela that was me."

"Oh, god, I'm so sorry, Ray!" Neela gasped and noticed his outline. She could just about make out his face that was good, hopefully he wouldn't see whatever wound she had in the blackness.

"Its ok," the young man smiled but it was hardly visible.

"Do you want me to check your leg again now it's free?" Neela asked, moving closer to the resident's side. Ray nodded; biting his lip as the resident surgeon gently manipulated his injured limb. "There's not much I can do, you're gonna need surgery."

"I know."

"I can try realigning the bone and putting a splint on it. There maybe some medical supplies around here," she suggested, looking around the rubble.

"I doubt it, you can try putting it back though," Ray replied.

"Ok, you sure you'll be alright without painkillers?"

"I'll just have to stick it," Ray shrugged. Neela nodded and began to gingerly move Ray's femur. He, in turn, screamed out in agony causing her to flinch.

Finally, she stopped and Ray's cries gave way to panting, she could see the perspiration dripping down his face and she could feel his heart thumping violently beneath his skin. She felt awful, not just for causing her best friend so much pain, but because of the dizzying agony in her side. Neela felt like she could collapse at any moment, but she couldn't, for Ray's sake.

"I'm gonna see if I can find anything to make a splint from," she told him and began crawling over the debris. When she thought she had got far enough away she slumped against a piece of stone and lifted the hem of her surgical scrubs.

Neela's eyes widened as she saw the shard of metal protruding from her stomach. She could tell it was embedded very deep and she was not going to get it out easily. Blood was dripping from the wound freely and her t-shirt was soaked already with the crimson liquid. She was surprised Ray hadn't noticed it when she was beside him. She pressed on the tender skin around the shrapnel and let in a sharp breath. She tugged on the metal but it didn't budge and just increased the agony. It was going to have to stay there, she decided, until they got out. Ray was the priority now.

* * *

"Are we going to die?" Frankie asked, her young face etched with fear.

"Now, we're going to be fine," Hope assured her, "God will help us."

"God? I don't believe in god. I haven't been to church since I was small," the girl looked worried, as if this could mean whether she lived or died.

"Neither do I," Sam piped up, shooting a glance at Hope, "You don't have to believe in a faith to be ok. We're all going to survive this."

"You sure? Cos I wanna see my mom again," Frankie looked tearful.

"I'm sure she's waiting just outside, waiting to see you're alright," Hope said, putting a comforting hand on her arm.

"You think?"

"Yeah, she'll be so worried, and when you get out of here she'll probably hug you till you burst," Sam smiled eliciting a small grin from the girl.

"But, how do you think anyone will find us if we're stuck in an elevator?"

"They just will, I'm sure," the nurse said adamantly, clutching at her broken arm, ignoring the pain.

* * *

Abby was getting more and more agitated as survivors of the explosion spilled into the ambulance bay. Some were walking wounded; others had to be carried by several unharmed people because they were critical. Yet, there was still no sign of the tall Croatian among them; in fact, Abby had seen none of her friends come out of the wreckage. Pratt, Ray, Neela, well she had come out but she'd gone back in and hadn't been seen since, Sam, Frank, Hope…where were they all? Were they alive?

Suddenly she spotted two figures she recognised and ran over to the two nurses.

"Haleh! Chuny! You're alright!" she smiled, relieved.

"Yes, we are," Haleh smiled back. Abby did a quick once over of both of them but found nothing out of place except a few cuts and bruises. They were fine.

"Did you…um…see Luka in there?" she asked hopefully, "And Joe?"

"Oh, honey, if we'd known they were in there we would've looked! But no, we didn't see them," Haleh put a reassuring arm around the resident, "I'm sure they're fine."

* * *

Alex drew his knees up to his chest and felt tears trickle down his cheeks. He wanted out. Why was no one looking for him? Maybe no one knew he was there. He looked around him. Frank was beside him, still out cold and he couldn't see much else. The boy decided to see if he could find a way out. Hauling himself onto all fours, Alex crawled towards a chink of light he could see. It was barely anything but it may mean a way out. As he got closer he heard voices, hurried and urgent.

"I think it's this way out," one voice declared.

"It may be but I have to find, Sam and Alex," Alex immediately recognised this voice.

"BEN!" he yelled, coughing as he inhaled a lot of dust.

"Alex?" Ben replied, spinning round looking for the source of the noise.

"Ben, help me," Alex shouted.

"Where are you?"

"I'm under the admit desk!" Alex pulled some of the rubble beside him and stuck his hand through. Ben spotted it and dived to his knees, scraping the bricks away with his hands.

Soon the debris fell away and Alex sprang from his confinement into Ben's arms almost knocking him flying. The young boy clutched him tightly, his fingers gripping the material of his top as if never wanting to let go.

"Whoa, Alex, are you ok?" Ben wasn't sure whether to hug the child back as he never seemed to like him that much but he decided he should. Alex seemed traumatised.

"I'm fine," Alex sobbed.

"Is your mom in there?" Ben asked.

"No, but Frank is, he's unconscious," Alex said. The nurse's eyes widened.

"Is he badly hurt?" Ben wiggled into the hole he'd created and felt his way into the darkness.

"I don't think so, just knocked out."

A couple of minutes later the man appeared, dragging the form of Frank behind him which was quite an effort. The other man that had been with him helped Ben to pull Frank from the hole and the two of them held him between over their shoulders. Alex walked beside them, salty tears still rolling freely down his face. He wasn't going to die, he could see the entrance, he was going to get out. But what about his mom?

**Ooh, what's gonna happen to Neela? Well obviously I know as I'm writing the story but I can keep you guessing. Please review if you want your favorites to survive!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay! The cavalry has arrived! Hmm...not sure how well I wrote Neela and Ray in the chapter. I dunno if I like it. Please tell me what _you _think! I value your opinions! Other than that, I'm sorry, I had another bad turn in this chapter, as you will find out! Hehehe! Geez, by the time I finish this story there will be no one left!**

The fire truck skidded into the ambulance bay along with several ambulances and three police cars. The firemen leapt from the cab and headed for the blaze with hoses and other equipment. The paramedics appeared with supplies and doctors from Mercy. The police began cordoning off the area around the hospital.

Abby looked up as they arrived from the patient she was treating and sagged with relief. "About time too," she muttered. Morris was beside her, having recovered pretty quickly from his minor concussion, helping her with the dislocated hip. The patient was writhing in pain and screaming as they had no pain killers.

"Hey, calm it, man," Morris yelped as he received a sharp kick from the guy's free leg.

"Leave me alone!"

"Sorry, dude, we just need to pop this baby back in and then you'll be good," the attending explained.

"No, no, noooooooo!" the man yelled in agony as Morris pinned him down and Abby, with a grunt, managed to slip the bone back in the joint.

"Well done, Lockhart," Morris grinned, "One down, like a few hundred to go."

"Don't remind me."

"Hey, you two need a hand?" a paramedic stopped beside them.

"No, but there are a lot of others who do. There are about twelve criticals; over twenty broken bones and the rest have minor injuries. That's just the ones who have managed to get out." Abby informed him, trying not to think of her Luka and Joe who were still not accounted for.

"Ok, well, good work so far, guys," the medic headed off.

"Right, you'll be fine, man," Morris slapped their patient on the shoulder and stood. Abby followed suit still scanning the area for any sign of her family.

A few survivors were appearing every ten minutes or so from the rubble. They were coughing and spluttering, many of them nursing wounds and helping others that could barely walk out of the remains of the hospital. Abby was intercepting them as the left, assessing the extent of their injuries and sorting them out into groups. Only five dead had been brought out so far, none of which she knew. She knew that was only the beginning though.

Suddenly someone she recognised stumbled out of the wreckage. Well, three people she recognised. Ben, Alex and Frank slung between the shoulders of Ben and another man. He was unconscious and Abby gasped, hurrying forward to help.

"What happened?" she asked, feeling for a pulse, finding it strong and steady.

"He got a knock on the head but I think he's fine," Ben told her.

"Ok, bring him over here…"

"Huh?!" Frank's eyes snapped open, "What the hell's going on?"

"Nice to have you back, Franko," Morris grinned.

"Ergh, not so nice to be back, get your ugly mug away from me thanks before I puke."

"That's not very nice," Morris pouted, "Bring him over here, boys, he'll be fine, just keep an eye on him. Anyone else hurt?"

"No," came the reply and Alex just shook his head. Abby was concerned.

"Alex, where's your mom?"

"In there," the boy gestured to the building sullenly.

"Oh," Abby closed her mouth, not knowing what to say, hoping that Sam was ok. "Come over here and we'll get you a blanket. Someone better check on those burns, they look painful." Alex shrugged and allowed himself to be led by Ben to a nearby rig.

Abby looked back at the burning building that was her whole life and hoped, willed, her friends and colleagues to come out unharmed. She knew that was very unlikely though.

* * *

Neela returned to Ray's side several minutes later after searching the entire area they were in for supplies. She slumped down on the floor as he sat up, propping himself up on his elbows, careful not to move his legs. The young woman tried to slow her breathing that was coming in short gasps because of the pain she was in.

"Any luck?" he asked, hopefully.

"No, not a thing, but I may have missed something as it is pretty damn dark down here. There's no way out either. We're well and truly stuck. The only exit is most likely the way we came – up. That's no use though because you can't even walk and I…" Neela trailed off.

"You?" Ray probed.

"Nothing, I just am absolute crap at climbing," Neela smiled dryly.

"Ah well, guess we'll just have to slum it down here then," Ray dropped back onto the ground and sighed.

"Yup, we're gonna be here for awhile yet, if they ever find us."

"Of course they'll find us, don't be such a pessimist," the young man hit her lightly on the arm.

"Yeah, we hope."

"So, whilst we're down here, wanna talk?"

"About what?" Neela had a feeling where this was going.

"About you and Gates," Ray spat the last word out as if it was something disgusting.

"Ray, this is hardly the time," Neela would've given anything to be out of that confined space and not about to have this talk but she couldn't she was trapped. It wasn't that she didn't love Ray to pieces, she always had, she now realised. But she still needed to get her head around that fact and come to terms with it. She just wasn't quite ready.

"Oh, I think now is the perfect time, Neela. Neither of us is going anywhere."

"Ok, fine!" the surgical resident could see she wasn't going to escape, "What do you want to hear?"

"Why the hell are you with that jerk?" Ray began. Neela was silent. "All he's done is mess you around. With that woman he neglected to tell you about living in his apartment and her daughter. He's never told anything straight to your face, you always have to find out for yourself." Neela still didn't speak. All that Ray was telling her was the truth. The simple, obvious truth that she'd tried to hide from herself. But she was still angry. Angry that he was making her out to sound stupid and naïve.

"And why do you care?" she retorted, her brown eyes burning with fury.

"Because, because…" Ray had always been ready to admit this so he didn't understand why his lips were refusing to co-operate; finally he managed to blurt out what he'd wanted to say ever since Neela had become his room mate, "I love you!"

The young woman froze, she hadn't realised that Ray would just say those three words so soon. It was then she realised how strong his feelings for her. He had loved her since before she even married Michael. That must have been a heavy blow for him to withstand. She _had_ been naïve. She _had_ been stupid. Not to notice both their feelings towards each other. She should never have married Michael. She should've been with Ray all this time.

Suddenly she was overwhelmed by the want to kiss him. To hold him tight. She couldn't though. For one, her stomach hurt too much to move right now, two, Ray was injured too and three…well, three…it was just a bit too soon.

Neela looked into Ray's green eyes and saw emotion so raw and pure that she had to look away.

"Neela?" his voice was husky and pained.

"Ray…I…I…" Neela struggled with her feelings, "I know you do. I-I love you too." She got the words out.

"You do?"

"Yeah, but…"

"But?" Ray looked apprehensive in the dark.

"Now is just not the time, I told you."

"When is the time then?" the doctor scowled, "It's never been the time. First you had a boyfriend, then a husband, then he died and you were mourning. I tried to comfort you but you didn't let me but you didn't let me. You always push me away!"

"I know I'm sorry. Things will be different, I promise," Neela said feeling terrible for all the anguish she'd put Ray through all this time.

"How can you be sure? What about Gates?"

"Gates and I never really were properly together. It was just, I don't know, a rebound guy?"

"Not properly together? You looked pretty together in that hospital room in the ER. You were all over each other," Ray sounded bitter.

"Y-you saw that?" Neela was aghast.

"Yep and d'you wanna know how it made me feel?" the woman shook her head mutely but Ray continued anyway, "Worthless, unimportant, irrelevant."

"Oh, Ray, I'm so sorry. You have _never_ been any of those things to me."

"Really?" the young man's voice was unbelieving.

"Yes!" Neela cried and then, seeing the sadness in his eyes, flung her arms around his neck, ignoring the agony in her belly, pulling him into an awkward but reassuring hug, this time when she said those three words she sounded certain, "I love you; I really do."

* * *

Dubenko crawled over the debris towards the quivering hand and gently began digging around it. He didn't think a frenzied attack on the rocks would help the person underneath and would only succeed in causing more pain then they already undoubtedly must be in.

As the rubble was removed Lucien glimpsed dark blue scrubs, surgical scrubs. There was a very good chance that this was Crenshaw. He hurried his unearthing slightly, working tirelessly until he'd uncovered the whole arm and the rest of that side of the body. The injuries on whoever this was were extensive and Lucien grew more and more anxious as he pulled a particularly large brick off the victim's head. The surgeon's breath caught in his throat. It was Dustin.

He quickly shoved several more stones off the man's body and dragged him gently from his ready made grave. Blood streaked his head and all his limbs. His chest was severely crushed and Dubenko was certain he had broken most of his ribs which had a chance of puncturing one of his vital organs if it hadn't already.

His shaking fingers reached for a pulse on Crenshaw's neck and didn't find one. Expertly he began CPR on the man but Lucien had the feeling it was already too late. Dustin's wounds were too great. Although he kept pumping and breathing Dubenko knew that his fellow surgeon had no chance of survival.

**Mwhahahaha! I've killed again! Bet you weren't expecting that were you?! I am a serial killer! Two down, seven to go! Just to inform and reassure you the people outside the hospital are safe! Unless I have a sudden bloodlust! Review and have a doughnut!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hehe, I hope you guys are proud of me! I got this up, in school, when we weren't allowed to go on websites! Go me go! I hope you enjoy the chapter. Hope goes all...I don't even know the word...heroic maybe? Ah well, read and review!**

"Ok, that's it! I've had enough waiting!" Hope leapt to her feet and Sam gaped at her. The intern looked nervous but decided.

"Huh?" Frankie frowned but Hope ignored her and began to climb on the end of the gurney, "Hey, ow, watch my feet!"

"What the _hell _are you doing?" Sam struggled off the floor.

"Yeah, you crazy cow!" Frankie added eyes wide with fright. Hope continued what she was doing; standing on her tiptoes and shoving open the hatch in the roof of the elevator.

"I'm getting us out of here!" Hope replied jaw set in a determined line.

"But might not even be on a floor, we could be suspended, it's too dangerous," Sam reeled off all the problems.

"Shut up, Sam, you know you would be doing this if we swapped positions," Hope retorted, grabbing onto the ledge. Sam didn't reply knowing it was absolutely true.

Pulling herself up, the young woman managed to scrambled through the hole with a grunt of effort. Once through she found herself on top of the elevator box in the pitch black. She could just about make out a small flicker from a flame further up the elevator shaft. That wouldn't be the best direction to go. Shuffling cautiously to the edge of the box she peered down and saw, to her delight, a pair of sliding doors that must lead onto one of the floors.

Hope let out a small squeal of excitement which caused Sam to call out in concern, "Hope, Hope? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine; I think I've found a way out!"

"You have?"

"Yes, give me a moment, I'm gonna try and slide the doors open," the intern replied and then slithered carefully over the side of the elevator, reaching for the doors.

She had a moment of terror when her foot slipped and she had to swing wildly and clutch on to whatever was closest which happened to be some loose wires. They were not particularly strong and Hope felt like they could be torn from the wall at any moment by her weight.

Swiftly, she clambered over to the doors and, still holding the wires in one hand, reached for the crack in the middle hoping it would open. At first her fingers scrabbled uselessly at the metal but then she gained some grip and her nails dug into the groove. The young doctor yanked hard and felt the doors give slightly. Hope tugged again and kept inching the doors apart gradually. Soon there was a gap big enough to slip through side wards. She did so and was relieved to find herself on more solid ground.

The ER was aflame and very smoky. Hope couldn't make out much except the outline of the admit desk. At least they were still on the ground floor, she thought, that would make it much easier to get out. But how was she supposed to get Sam and Frankie out? Sam had a severely broken arm and Frankie had scissors in her stomach. That made it a lot more difficult. But they would do it.

Braving the shaft again, Hope climbed back onto the elevator but as she did so she was suddenly struck by a thought. What had happened to Archie? Was he alright? Was he hurt? Had he even got out or was he trapped somewhere? Was he dead even? Hope shuddered at that thought but managed to wipe it from her mind. Be optimistic. He's fine.

The woman fell back into the elevator to the startled faces of her companions.

"What the hell happened?" Sam asked as soon as she regained her tongue.

"I've got a way out!" Hope grinned in the dim light.

"You sure?"

"Yup, it comes out in the ER," Hope replied, "But it'll be quite difficult for you two."

"I'll be fine," Sam insisted but as she moved she visibly winced, "I will get out of this goddamn elevator!"

Hope offered Sam a hand which she refused initially but then she realised she needed the help and took it. Sam managed to get on the gurney awkwardly and then use her good arm to grip through the hatch. Hope then gave her a leg up. Channelling all her strength into the uninjured arm, Sam hauled herself up onto the top of the box. She gritted her teeth through the pain as she collapsed on the roof.

* * *

A few minutes of struggle later, Frankie popped through the hatch and sprawled down beside the nurse. Hope appeared seconds later and dragged them to their feet. 

"Come on, we have to move, this isn't exactly stable," Hope stated.

"We know," Sam sighed and hurried over to where Hope was helping Frankie over the gap and through the doors. Once the girl had disappeared onto the other side of the doors Hope turned to help her colleague. Taking her good arm, the intern, guided the nurse over the drop and into relative safety.

Hope finally leapt over herself and joined the others as they made their way over the rubble and debris. As the three climbed over a particularly large heap they didn't hear the voices below and they didn't notice the body nearby, half covered in bricks. Just as they didn't hear the now failing wails from a room to the left of them. They were set on the sole purpose of getting out of the hellhole their hospital had become.

* * *

As they staggered into the clear air and bright lights of the emergency vehicles they felt a sense of victory for the fact that they had survived. 

"SAM! HOPE!" Abby suddenly spotted the two of them leaving the rubble and felt a sudden flash of hope that if some of her friends and colleagues were still making it out alive there was still a chance for Luka and Joe. They had to be alright. "Oh my god, are you two ok?"

"Er…sort of," Hope gestured to Sam's wound.

"Christ! Hey, Morris, I might need some help over here," Abby turned and called across the ambulance bay.

"Morris?!" Hope repeated, hoping she'd heard right. She had, it was confirmed as Archie suddenly appeared beside them. "Oh, Archie!" The young woman turned and flung her arms round his neck, "You're alright!"

"Yes," Morris didn't know quite what to make of it but felt comfortable in the intern's arms. Abby coughed.

"Erm…a little help?"

"Right!"

* * *

Ray and Neela sat in silence, not knowing what to do. Ray looked lost in thought, his green eyes flecked with gold staring off in a random direction. Either the pain in his legs had subsided for awhile or he was very good at hiding he was in agony. Neela, on the other hand, was struggling as the pain grew more and more, constantly stabbing her in the side and making her want to cry out. Instead she settled for letting tiny, salty tears dribble from the corners of her eyes and dribble slowly down her dirt-streaked face leaving strange snail trails. 

"This is so boring," Ray's voice suddenly broke the silence and Neela visibly jumped, startled.

"Er…Ray, I think we should be glad it's boring rather than we're dead," Neela replied.

"I know, but I mean, if we have to wait down here don't we at least get something interesting to do? How about I-spy?"

"What?!" Neela's eyes widened in incredulity of Ray's light heart at all this. They were stuck in a bloody hole under god knows how much brick, they'd just poured their hearts out to each other and he wanted to play I-bloody-spy?!

"I-spy," Ray repeated slowly, a grin on his face, "You know, the game where you say 'I spy with my little eye…'"

"Yes, Ray, I know what the bloody game is!" Neela sighed.

"Then, let's play!"

"Oh, god."

**Hehe, ok, thought I'd add some humour. Man, I just realised there was like NO gore in that chapter! OMG! Right, I'm gonna make up for it the next. Be prepared with a bucket next time ;) Yay, more people have escaped, that just leaves Dubenko, Luka, Joe, Ray and Neela. Hmm, who shall I kill off next?! Review to save, as always!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Whoo! Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry I havent updated for a bit but I was banned from the computer. :( I hope you like this chappie. There isnt a lot of Ray and Neela. OMG, the last episode was EVIL! Grr! They better bring Ray back or else!**

"I spy with my little eye…" Neela paused, looked around the cramped area they were in, "Something beginning with B."

"Er..." Ray did a quick sweep of the vicinity he could see from his position without moving his legs, "Brick."

"Yep."

"Yay, my go." As Ray pondered on what to do for his go Neela couldn't help think, yet again, how absolutely utterly moronic this was. They were stuck in a hole with no escape playing a game she hadn't played since the age of five. "Ok, beginning with F."

"Floor," the young woman deadpanned.

"Oh…yes," Ray looked surprised for a moment but then the grin he had been sporting this whole time reappeared, "Your go."

"B."

"Erm…bush, wait no, bed, broom, b, b…brick?"

"Yes."

"Neela, you're ruining the game, you've said brick the last five times," Ray frowned.

"And you would've thought you'd got the picture by now," the surgeon sighed. Ray scowled and Neela couldn't help feeling guilty for wiping the smile off his face, "Look, I'm sorry, it's just…I don't really feel like playing." Neela shifted slightly and winced as the sharp pain in her side upped a notch.

"Fine," Ray stated and then fell silent.

* * *

Now that the fire fighters had finally decided it was safe to enter the flaming shell that was once County Hospital, Abby felt her heart jump into her throat. She was excited at the prospect of them finding her friends and family but worried at the state they may be in. She had asked one of the men to look out especially for a baby and he'd promised he would.

"Right, guys, be careful in there. Try and find as many survivors as possible but if you uncover any bodies bring them out too so they can be identified and relatives informed," the chief of the fire fighters yelled at his men before they plunged into the scorching depths of the blaze.

* * *

Landon Cole felt his heart pummelling against his ribcage as he and his group entered the burning building. He was the newbie and this was his first major fire. It was very exhilarating and he could fell the adrenaline pumping inside him.

The other three men in his group were Ed, Nick and Terry - their leader. They were all dressed up in heavy, fire-proof black jackets and trousers. Each man had a hard helmet and a visor and a smoke mask so they wouldn't endanger themselves.

As the group headed further into the hospital, Landon began to hear screams and cries of distress and terror. They caused him to shiver to his very core and the hairs stand up on the back of his neck about lay in store.

The young fire fighter had heard terrible stories about the charred, mangled bodies that were found in the remains of the buildings. The victims screamed in agony for hours before being engulfed by the searing flames and then tortured as the fire slowly burnt them alive until they were as crisp as a turkey on Thanksgiving. Landon shuddered.

"You ok there, kid?" Nick asked through the communication system installed in their helmets.

"Yeah," Landon managed to choke out, his eyes wide as he saw the devastation the waiting room was in. Littering the floor were several blackened bodies, skin the colour of charcoal and barely recognisable as people. Landon swallowed back the bile. Plenty of living people were cowering from the towering flames and the man wondered why none of them had tried to get out. They must be scared stiff.

"Ok, guys, get the survivors out to safety, once you've done that begin clearing the dead," Terry ordered and the group, along with several others began moving the shell shocked victims of the fire.

* * *

Dubenko stumbled, he was trying to escape the ferocious flames but they kept following him, like some hungry pack of wolves, biting at the flesh on the back of his neck and smouldering the once white now black material of his coat.

He had left Crenshaw, there was nothing he could do for him and he needed to get out if he was to save himself.

The surgeon tripped suddenly, tumbling over something soft; there was a groan from beneath. Dubenko quickly scrambled to his feet and turned to inspect what or who he'd fallen over. It was an old man, his face badly burnt and scarred by the intense heat of the fire.

"Hello, sir, can you tell me your name?" Lucien knelt at his side taking vitals with trembling hands.

"Marty," the old man replied, his voice rasping with smoke inhalation.

"Ok, Marty, can you tell me where it hurts?" Lucien felt strange; as if the voice coming out wasn't his own, it was calm and professional, a complete contrast to the panicked, naked terror he was experiencing inside.

"My chest," Marty wheezed.

"Right, Marty, I'm gonna need to get you out of here because its not safe and you need treatment, ok?"

"Yes."  
"D'you think you can walk?" Lucien asked.

"I don't know but I can try," the old man managed to crack a smile through his blackened, split skin which must've hurt.

"Ok, Marty, take my arm," Lucien held out his arm and helped the man off the floor and to his feet," Right, just keep hold of my arm and watch out so you don't trip up." Marty nodded.

* * *

Dubenko led the elderly man over blocks of fallen concrete from the ceiling, dead bodies and other things like abandoned crash carts and upturned supply cupboards. As they reached one cupboard in particular Lucien caught sight of a young man rifling through the contents frantically.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the surgeon frowned. The young guy's head snapped up to show bright eyes, black with desire, there were beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.

"Get away from me, man!" he yelled, as Lucien took a step forward, and brandished a small handgun that glistened in the dancing light of the fire.

Lucien understood immediately, the man was a junkie and using the explosion as an opportunity to help himself to the hospitals drugs so he could get a fix. Lucien put his hands up knowing there was nothing he could do to stop the addicted man.

"Alright, alright, we're going," Lucien, hands still in the air shuffled past the man who turned his attention back to the cabinet, shielding Marty as he went. Soon the two of them reached an area that the surgeon recognised – admit.

"Oh, thank god," Lucien murmured as he spotted a fire fighter coming towards them.

* * *

Landon had noticed some movement out of the corner of his eye as they began moving corpses. He looked up, happy to avert his gaze from the glassy eyed face staring up at him, and saw two men appearing from the smoke. One was supporting the other. His face was red, raw puckered by the endless fury of the blaze and crusty in some places with blood and cooked skin. He was wearing a pair of glasses but one of the lenses had been shattered and the other was plastered with dust and soot. Ash caked his curly hair and clothes but when he saw Landon an enormous grin broke out onto his face. Landon headed over.

"You ok, Doc?" the young fire fighter questioned, taking in the scorched lab coat.

"Yes but Marty here not so much," Lucien gestured to Marty who was sagging on his shoulder.

"Right, pass him here, Doc, Landon took the man from Dubenko and lifted him as if he was weightless, "Follow me."

"Wait, there's a drug addict back there, he's got a gun and is stealing supplies. He threatened us," Lucien informed the fire fighter who nodded and yelled to his colleagues.

"Now, come with me, you're getting outta here."

**Hope you liked that chappie! Erm...cant promise another for awhile but I can promise that the junkie will be returning! Mwhahaha...for very very evil purposes! Review or your favorite character gets it :) Oh and have a chocolate!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yay, thank you so much for all the reviews! It makes me so happy! I'm getting eviller again! I hope this chapter answers some questions that are frustrating you! Please review!**

The junkie's name was Phil. He was twenty two years old and had been doing drugs for the last four years of his life. He had been to rehab once but that hadn't worked out.

He had been in the hospital to visit a friend but seeing the place explode he saw it as the golden opportunity to seek out some of the hospitals drug supplies. It couldn't hurt to take a few, he figured, it wasn't like they were gonna miss them with the building being in such chaos. But he had been freaked out when that doctor had discovered him and now he wanted to get away. He had the drugs; all he needed was an escape route.

Coughing and spluttering he stumbled into the admit area hoping to pass as one of the survivors. He was heading for the door but just as he did so the doctor he'd seen early appeared and he dived into a side room so as not to be spotted.

The room was empty it seemed and Phil guessed it was some kind of lounge as there was a couch in the middle of the room. He stepped forward, wondering whether there was anything worth nicking from the lockers lining the wall. He needed some money for his next fix and this could be just the place as half the lockers had been crushed and busted open.

Just as he moved though a sudden sound reached his ears – a small whimper. Phil frowned and listened harder. There it was again. He moved closer to the source of the noise and spotted a body on the floor. The man was wearing a white coat so was therefore a doctor. Phil flinched, thinking that he might catch him but then he realised that the doctor was unconscious. Vicious gashes littered his back, presumably from the falling debris and glass. There was a particularly ugly laceration on the back of his head where the blood had congealed and matted his dark hair.

But where had the whimper come from? Phil was sure it couldn't have been the unconscious man. He shuffled cautiously closer and then spotted a tiny, cut hand sticking out from beneath the guy. A child? The drug addict crept nearer and knelt beside the doctor. Pushing his body side wards he revealed a small baby, less than a year old. He had tufts of brown hair and blue eyes that stared up at Phil pleadingly. The junkie wasn't fazed though. He had no compassion for the infant but he had suddenly thought of a get out clause. No one would stop a young man carrying his child would they?

Scooping the baby into his arms, Phil stood, tucked his gear in his pocket and headed towards the door. He didn't care for the injured father of the child. The young man took a deep breath, which was difficult as he still needed his fix and headed into the havoc of the ER.

* * *

Landon looked up as he heard the door swing shut and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the jumpy man walking past him. There was a thin film of sweat covering the man's skin and his eyes were darting around nervously. In his arms he held a bundle which moved suddenly and Landon guessed it was a baby. Suddenly he remembered the woman's words from outside.

_"Please, if you do see a baby, let me know. He's about eight months old, brown hair, blue eyes and he's wearing a hat and a blue baby suit with dinosaurs on it."_

"Excuse me, sir, could you wait a moment," Landon headed over to the guy who looked startled.

"Wh-what d'you want?" he asked, looking panicked. This roused the fire fighter's suspicions even more.

"Do you mind if I have a look at your baby?" he queried.

"Why?"

"Oh, nothing, I'm just looking for a missing infant."

"Well, it's not my son, now let me past, man," the guy tried to shove past Landon but he halted him.

"Let me see the kid," Landon tugged at his arms and spotted a tuft of dark brown hair and one of the baby's arms clad in blue. His eyes widened, "Give him to me."

"No way!" the man brought out a gun and pointed it at the baby's head, "You don't let me out and I blast this little bugger's brains right out of his head."

By this time, despite the chaos of the fire and aftermath of the explosion, they had caught everyone's attention. Several horrified faces looked at Phil as he threatened the child with the weapon. He looked deadly serious. A few people screamed.

* * *

Ray's head snapped upwards as he heard the piercing screams. Something bad was going on up there. He looked over a Neela and saw her eyes were closed and she had slumped against a piece of concrete.

"Hey, Neela, what do you think is going on up there?" he questioned. There was no reply, "Neela?" He repeated, concerned. Still no answer.

The young man's heart jumped into his mouth and his eyes widened. What was wrong with her? Dragging himself over to her side he checked for a pulse. It was weak and thready.

"Damn, Neela, what have you do…?" he stopped when he finally noticed the blood on her shirt that she had tried to cover with her hand. Swiftly he lifted her shirt and gasped when he saw the piece of shrapnel sticking out of her abdomen, "Shit."

He touched the tender skin gingerly but he could tell by giving a slight tug on the metal it wasn't going to move without being surgically cut out. How could Neela not tell him? It must have been agony. More frustratingly, how could he not have noticed the ten inch piece of debris in her stomach? Or the blood?

Ray checked her pulse again, just to make sure she was alive and then removed his coat before placing it as padding on the wound so it would stop some of the bleeding. He cursed to himself and desperately hoped that they would be discovered soon and Neela could get help because he wasn't sure how long she could survive without a blood transfusion. It could be minutes.

* * *

Phil brandished the gun warningly. "Everyone stay back!"

"Ok, we're all back, man, just leave the baby alone, please," Landon was begging, watching the tiny infant wriggle in the man's arms, it began whinging.

"Shut it," the guy growled at the baby which seemed to scare it into silence, "Now, let me past."

"Right," Landon wasn't quite sure when he'd taken the role of negotiator but it seemed to have fallen on his shoulders, "Sir, you need help. Just give me the baby and then we can help you."

"I don't need any help!"

"Ok, what's your name then?"

"I'm not taking this crap. Move or I kill this little shit!" Phil jabbed the gun into Joe's head who let out a small yelp.

**Hehe, you all wanted to know what happened to Joe but I bet you wish you hadn't asked now! Please review or I may just allow my itchy trigger finger to slip slightly. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Haven't updated in ages as I've been away at the World Scout Jamboree which I have to say was absolutely awesome! Sorry, this chapter is quite short but I hope its dramatic enough for you and adds more questions to your list! Please review!**

"Ok, ok, just please put the child down and we'll let you past," Landon relented; moving further back in the hope it would calm the young man down.

"What? You think I'm stupid? As soon as I put the kid down you'll jump me, he's coming with me!" Phil yelled and everyone flinched as his gun hand twitched.

"Sir, we can't let you do that, please, you're the one holding the weapon, why would we jump you?" Landon reasoned, "We don't want anyone hurt. The baby is innocent, his mother is outside, please don't harm him."

"Leave me alone!" the junkie cried.

* * *

Abby could hear something going on inside. There were screams and cries of fear and she hoped her family was ok. The doctor was tending to several survivors at once and then carting them off in ambulances to other Chicago hospitals. She had counted down her friends and family as they came out and now all that was left was Ray, Neela, Luka, Pratt and baby Joe.

It was then that two fire fighters came out of the burning building carrying a limp body. They were rushing slightly and stumbling over the rubble as they went.

"Chief, we have another dead one, looks like one of the docs as well, he's wearing the coat," one shouted to his boss. Abby's ears pricked as she heard this and she looked more closely at the corpse. She suddenly recognised him and a hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh my god! Greg!" she choked, unable to believe her friend was dead, "Greg, no."

"Sorry, ma'am I'm gonna have to ask you to move, there is a gunman inside threatening a baby and we need to clear the area," a fire fighter said, blocking her path with his arm.

"But that's my friend…wait…" it took a moment for the words to register in Abby's brain, "Did you say a baby?"

"Yes, now will you move, please?"

"But, that might be my son!" Abby gasped, everything was taking a turn for the worse "I have to get in there."

"No way, ma'am." The woman didn't listen to reason though; she slipped under the man's arm and into the hospital.

* * *

Abby was hit immediately by the suffocating smoke and fierce heat of the flames still licking at the walls. As she grew closer to admit she heard raised voices and as she turned the corner she spotted a man standing in the centre if admit holding a hand gun and pointing it at the head of her baby. He was mewling pitifully. Another guy stood nearby, his hands up, speaking calmly and carefully. She recognised him as the fire fighter she'd asked to look out for Joe.

"I'll kill him, I will!" Phil repeated over and over looking madder by the second as his eyes skittered around the room.

"Don't, come on man," Landon pleaded.

"Please!" Abby stepped forward, cringing slightly as the gun was pointed at her, "Don't hurt my son."

"Ma'am, step back," Landon groaned inwardly, the situation just got more difficult. Where the hell did she appear from anyway?

"No, not until I get my baby," Abby shook her head, desperate to hold her child in her arms. She could see his frightened eyes peeping out from the junkie's arms.

"Y-your baby?" Phil muttered. His mind was awhirl with options as to his escape. Whilst he thought, though, his hand slipped slightly and he lost concentration. In that moment he was leapt on – from behind.

Luka tackled the man to the ground just as Abby whipped the infant from his grip and moved off. There was a scuffle on the floor as the already wounded Luka attempted to wrestle the weapon from his opponent's hands. Suddenly Phil managed to get a finger on the trigger and pull.

* * *

Ray yelled for help, he was desperate and there was nothing he could do to help Neela, the love of his life, because there was no equipment in their little hole of rubble. He could hear mayhem up above. Shouts and wails. That meant that no one could hear him down here.

She was losing blood and fast. Ray hated himself for not realising her injury and the pain she must have been in when she was conscious and he was angry at her. He shuddered at all the harsh words he'd used. But she had declared she loved him and him her but could that just have been in the heat of the moment? Even if it wasn't it seemed like he was about to lose her anyway if they didn't get help soon.

Then the young woman moaned slightly and Ray's heart leapt in his throat.

"Neela, please wake up, Neela," he begged but the surgeon just moaned again and Ray wished he could see her chocolate eyes open and her lips smile.

"I love you" he whispered in her ear just as the sound of a gunshot sounded up above.

* * *

A man sat on a plane thinking about his life. All the problems he'd faced and worked through. All the people he'd helped and the friends he'd made along the way. He missed them all so much and his home that was Chicago. He wondered how much had changed and if any of his friends were still working at the hospital. He hoped they were as he planned, if it was possible, to return to his original position at the hospital and he wanted it to still be familiar.

The plane was coming into land and he could arrive at County General within a couple of hours. He wondered what kind of reception he would recieve.

**I know you told me not to MoonlitClarity but I couldnt help it! I wanted him back! Anyway, what do you think of the chapter? Enough cliffhangers? At least Joe's safe for now... **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, haven't updated in ages! Thanks for the reviews! Much appreciated.**

Abby clutched Joe closer to her chest; she could feel his tiny heart fluttering against his ribs. He was scared, she was terrified. One of the men rolled over on the floor and scrambled to his feet. His face was wrought with fear as his eyes darted around the admit area. They latched onto the gun but before he could move Abby had hurried forward and kicked the weapon away where it was swiftly picked up by a fire-fighter.

Phil tried making a break through the ranks of fire fighters that were beginning to surround him but he was quickly grabbed and thrown to the floor with two firemen holding him down.

The other man on the floor also turned over, wincing slightly and clambered to his feet. Shards of glass smattered the back of his lab coat leaving scarlet stains and there was an ugly open wound on the back of his head matting his dark hair with blood. But Luka was ok. He was alive. Abby sagged in relief; her husband was still alive even through all this. Where had the bullet gone though?

Suddenly she heard a small whimper and she whipped around on the spot to see the limp form of Landon crumpled on the floor. Crimson liquid pooled around his neck from the gunshot wound. Abby gasped and quickly placed Joe in the hands of a nearby fire fighter before diving to Landon's side.

Even as she skidded to her knees she knew the prospects for the young man looked bleak. He was gasping desperately for air and gurgling as the blood got into his throat.

"Oh god, no," Abby muttered to herself as Luka jumped in to help her. Landon's eyes were wide and scared, full of pain.

"Please…help," he rasped but it seemed even he knew he didn't have much chance of survival.

"Abby…" Luka started quietly after inspecting the wound. The kid wouldn't make it past the double doors if they moved him but if they didn't he would die here anyway.

"I know," Abby said, looking sadly at the man.

"I'm gonna die aren't I?" Landon wheezed, his body heaving with the effort.

"Landon isn't it?" She directed the question at the fire fighter, "I just wanna say thank you…for saving my baby. You stopped that guy walking out with him. Thank you so much."

Silent tears fell down the young man's face. He could tell from the doctors' faces he didn't have a chance. This had been his first fire and now his last. He didn't want to die. He didn't believe in god or heaven; all he thought was there after death was darkness. And he didn't like the sound of that.

"Shall we try and move him?" Abby whispered to Luka.

"We could but I don't know if it'll make much difference," Luka replied.

"Let's give it a go."

The two of them moved in to lift Landon up but just as they did his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he stopped breathing.

"Start CPR," Luka said to Abby. She began compressions on his chest whilst Luka did mouth to mouth but neither had any effect. Landon died.

* * *

Alex was sitting on a hospital bed in Mercy Hospital, swinging his legs and wondering whether any of the nurses would notice if he went to the cafeteria for a snack. He was starving and his burns had already been wrapped up. It wouldn't matter if he went, would it?

He stood up slowly and headed off, keeping his head low as he tried to sneak past the nurses. He succeeded. None of them noticed his departure. That was until he walked past a private room and someone screamed.

"ALEX!" Suddenly someone tumbled through the door of the room and grabbed him in a one armed bear hug, "Oh my god, my baby! You're ok."

"Mom," Alex couldn't believe his eyes. His mom was ok, she was alive. "I'm so sorry Mom."

"Why are you sorry?" Sam frowned, clutching her son to her.

"For being horrible and rebellious all these years. I…I love you, you know," Alex whispered.

"Oh, Alex," Sam smiled, tears in her eyes as she hugged her only son even tighter, "I love you so much."

* * *

As the body of Landon was removed, the last of the survivors left the building. Most of the fire was out now but the area was still very unstable. Abby wondered whether County would ever be up and running again. Would she have a job here again?

Luka placed an arm around her as she cradled baby Joe in her hands and took one last look around the smouldering remains of her…home she guessed was the best word to describe it. She had spent many years of her life there through thick and thin and everyone here was her family. But she'd already lost one of that family in this blast – Greg. She could wait awhile before she told Luka that though. He had enough on his mind.

It was then she remembered the last two members of the ER family that hadn't been recovered. Ray and Neela. She almost cried at this. They had probably been buried under all this rubble or been burnt alive. She shuddered to think the fate that had befallen them.

* * *

Carter found his luggage and headed out of the airport. He was just about to walk out the doors when he spotted something on the nearby tv. It was a news flash of a blazing building. The headline read 'Chicago County Hospital Explosion'.

"Christ," the man murmured, hardly believing his eyes. He had to get back to the hospital or what was left of it.

Rushing out of the airport he hailed a cab and leapt into the backseat. "Where to, man?" the guy asked.

"County Hospital," Carter replied hurriedly.

"Why'd ya wanna go there? It's destroyed."

"I don't care. Just get me there!" Carter yelled.

**Dun dun duuuun! Whoo! Yep it was Carter. Kinda obvious. Please review to find out what finally happens to Ray and Neela. Sorry to keep you hanging.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ha, to you all! I updated in less than a month! Oh yeah, go me! -victory dance- Anyhoo, thanks for all the reviews. Sorry if the characters are a bit OOC because I didnt really know the relationship between Carter and Ray as I didnt see those series so I dont know what it was like.**

"Where d'you want me to leave you then? I can't go in there; the police are crawling all over the place. There's no space," the driver of the taxi declared.

"Well, drop me here, that's fine," Carter waved a hand, desperate to get out of the vehicle and see what had happened to his beloved hospital. He almost tripped in his haste to jump out. The man grabbed his bags and threw some money at the taxi driver before setting of down the street.

There was a tape cordoning off the area around the smouldering building and several fire trucks, police cars and ambulances surrounded the hospital. Uniformed emergency people were rushing around the place, tending to the last few straggling victims and herding them into rigs. A group of fire fighters were putting out the now barely visible fire and some of the cops were keeping people back from the barriers.

And there, right in the middle, coming out of the double doors, was Abby Lockhart and Luka Kovac. Carter drew in a deep, relieved breath – she was alive. He rushed forward, fighting his way through the crowd of onlookers to get to the tape.

"Excuse me, sir, you're not allowed through," one of the cops said as Carter tried to duck under.

"I'm a doctor, they're my friends, please let me through. I can help," Carter demanded, frustrated.

"Sir, I'm sorry but…hey!" the police officer yelped as the doctor flew under the tape and weaved past him, "Come back!"

Carter dodged in and out of the rescuers, trying to get to his friends that he hadn't seen in so long.

"Abby! Luka!" he shouted.

* * *

Abby looked up when she heard her name being called and spotted the last person she ever thought she would see, John Carter. The man she had once loved. What the hell was he doing here? Though she couldn't say she wasn't glad to see him. She had hardly seen any friends unaffected by this blast and it was good to see him safe.

"J…Carter," she replied, smiling slightly as he hurried over.

"Oh god, Abby. What happened? Where is everyone? Is anyone…you know….dead?" the questions came thick and fast from the doctor.

"Uh, gas explosion, some people are at Mercy: Frank, Morris, Sam, Dubenko…" she trailed off, "Pratt…he'd dead and Crenshaw, Lucien told me."

"What? Greg?" both men stared at her, shocked, "No."

"Yeah, I saw him, it was…horrible," Abby shuddered.

"But where's….Neela? Ray? Or have they moved hospital, please for god's sake, tell me they have?" Abby shook her head mutely.

"They haven't been found yet. I think they're buried under that."

"Christ," Carter breathed, he couldn't believe his ears, "We have to find them."

"What?!" Abby gasped as the man rushed by her and headed into the hospital, "John, no, its way too dangerous, I can't lose you as well. The fire fighters will find them!"

"I need to help!" Came the voice from the depths of the building.

* * *

Ray felt tears trickle down his dirty face leaving snail trails of pink skin. He didn't feel ashamed as he usually would about displaying emotions. There was no one here to see him and he wouldn't have cared if there was. The woman he loved was dying slowly in his arms and there was nothing he could do about it. He yelled out again, his voice desperate.

"Please! Anyone! HELP!" No reply as before, it was too noisy up above.

* * *

As John strode through the smoky admit area he saw the extent of the damage to the hospital. It was immense. Everywhere was blackened and charred. Smoke hung in the air, suffocating and thick. Surfaces were covered in blood and a few shrivelled bodies were still left on the floor. Carter shivered.

He didn't know where to look for the missing residents. They could be anywhere. He really should have asked where they had last been seen. Suddenly he heard something. His ears pricked and he spun round on the spot listening for the sound again.

"Shut up a moment!" he shouted at the fire fighters. They all turned and glared at him, they had already lost one of their own today, they wanted to finish this job as quickly as possible and get out but they obliged reluctantly.

There it was again. A faint shout coming from below him. Carter threw himself to the floor and pressed his ear to the floor. It was louder now, it sounded like a voice.

"There's someone down there!" Carter looked at the fire fighters, "Can you help?"

"Sure, man," one man came over and two others followed, "Maybe we should try moving that rubble." He gestured to a pile of stone. "The name's Terry by the way."

"John. Ok, let's get to it." Carter really hoped, with all his heart that this was the voice of one of his missing friends.

* * *

Ray suddenly heard some scrabbling up above. His heart leapt with hope. Maybe someone had heard his shouts. He yelled again.

"Anyone up there?! Please! Help! Anyone?!" Dust began falling from above him, little bits of debris dropped onto him but he didn't care. There was someone up there trying to rescue them. "Neela, it's gonna be ok. Just hang in there." The young resident whispered to the woman in his arms.

"Hello?!" a voice bellowed from above. Ray almost jumped with joy.

"Hey, we're down here! Can you get us out real quick?! My friend, she's injured really badly."

"Sorry, I can hardly hear you. My name's Dr. John Carter."

Carter?! Ray's eyes widened in amazement, it couldn't be him could it? Ray's one time kind of role model. If it was Carter than maybe Neela was going to be alright.

"CARTER! It's Ray Barnett! You gotta help, its Neela she's…got a piece of debris embedded in her stomach and she's lost a lot of blood."

"RAY! Oh thank god, it is you," on the surface Carter breathed a sigh of relief but reminded himself they weren't out of the woods yet, "What about you? Are you ok?"

"Um…don't worry about me."

"Ray, what's wrong? This is no time to be heroic."

"Er…I've broken my leg, it's pretty messy," Ray replied.

"Ok, we'll get you guys out, I promise, I've got some fire fighters to help."

* * *

John and the three fire fighters shifted more and more rubble until there was a gap in the floor which the doctor could peer down through. It was then he spotted the upturned face of the male resident, his face caked in dirt and blood. In his arms lay a motionless body which Carter guessed was Neela. She looked in bad shape. He widened the hole.

"Right, we need to get a ladder or a pulley or something," Carter ordered one of the firemen. "Can you get one?"

"I can get a ladder from the truck," Terry answered.

"Ok, get that," Carter nodded before turning back to comfort the scared man below, "Does she still have a pulse? Is she breathing?"

"Yeah, but its weak and her breathing is shallow."

"Um…there's not a lot I can do. Have you tried stemming the bleeding?"

"What do you think, Carter? I'm not stupid!" Ray snapped.

"Calm down, Barnett, you need to be strong for Neela's sake."

* * *

A few minutes later, Terry appeared with another fire fighter, carrying a ladder. They, with the help of the others, lowered the metal structure down the small hole they'd made.

"Watch your head, Ray." Carter yelled and the man ducked out the way dragging Neela with him. "I'm gonna come down."

"Is it stable?" Ray questioned, nervously.

"As much as it can be. I'm coming down so move."

* * *

The man climbed slowly down the rungs of the ladder, Terry holding it secure at the top. He reached the bottom quickly and knelt down beside his injured friends. Neela was very pale considering her natural colour and Ray didn't look good either, his face wracked with pain and worry.

"Hurry!" Ray whispered.

"I know, let me take her, I'll pass her up," Carter swiftly lifted the almost weightless body of the young woman up and raised her up to the waiting hands of the firemen, "Get her to hospital and fast!" He ordered, anxious. The men above nodded and carried the injured resident away.

"Now for you, Ray, can you stand?"

"I can try."

"I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"I can climb the damn ladder, Dr. Carter," Ray snarled through gritted teeth as he clambered to his feet. John took his arm for support and Ray supposed he was grateful.

With a grim face he began to scale the ladder, wincing and grunting with every step on his wounded limb. When he reached the top he looked around at the damage of the hospital and then searched for Neela.

"Where is she?"

"She's gone to hospital. They're looking after her, Ray," Carter put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ok…" Ray nodded and then collapsed.

**Yeh, I saved them. Kinda :) Please review or no chapter for a month or more!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Heya, guys, havent updated in ages! Sorry! Just thought I'd drop it on you this is the last chapter of Explosion! There's a lotta dialogue and I kinda leave it hanging at the end but I can't be bothered to go into detail. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with this rather depressing story. Hope you enjoyed it and if you could review one last time that would be great! Just tell me what you thought! **

His eyes opened and he blinked furiously. Everything around him was blurred and fuzzy as if he was underwater. He shook his head slowly and everything swam into focus. He was in a white room, a hospital room he realised, and was lying on a hospital bed with tubes and wires attached all over his body.

Ray suddenly remembered what had happened to him and tried to sit up abruptly causing all the wires to become unplugged and the monitor beside him to flat line. This made two very worried looking people to charge into the room expecting their friend to be dying.

"Ray! What are you doing?!" Abby shouted, relieved he was ok, "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Where's Neela?" he croaked, finding his throat dry and sore from not speaking for awhile.

"In another room, Ray, she's still alive," Abby smiled weakly.

"Alive? I wanna see her!" the resident struggled to get off the bed.

"No, Ray, she's ok at the moment. You need to look after yourself. You nearly died with the amount of blood you lost in your leg and the crush injuries," Luka, who had not spoken up to this point came forward and firmly pushed the younger man down onto the bed before expertly reattaching the drips and lines.

"So? I don't want her to be alone. She was really badly hurt." Ray said stating the obvious

"Carter and Sam _and _Dubenko are with her now. She had plenty of company. She's not even conscious yet."

"Yet?"

"Well, it's been four days since the explosion, Ray," Abby explained, "You've both had major surgery. You for your leg and her for her liver. It got damaged by the piece of shrapnel."

"Four days? Jesus," Ray exclaimed, "And um, was anyone else hurt or you know…?"

"Frank got a nasty bash on the head but he's fine, Sam broke her arm but it's been put back into place, Luka's been patched and the rest are ok. Well, except Crenshaw, but that was no great loss and…." Abby trailed off.

"Greg," Ray filled in, his face grim.

"You know?"

"I was there. We were talking at the time of the explosion about…stuff and then when I came round after the blast my legs were crushed and Greg was lying a couple of metres away with a piece of glass in his head," the man shuddered, his voice quiet, "I lost him after the floor fell away and me and Neela were stuck."

"Oh, Ray," Abby whispered, seeing the usually so cheeky face of her annoying colleague so disturbed and distressed.

"I'm really tired, I um…think I may go back to sleep," Ray murmured, "I still want to see Neela though."

"You can, when she wakes up," Abby nodded.

"Good, I need to tell her something. It was too rushed the first time."

* * *

Ray sat in a wheelchair outside the ICU and stared into one of the hospital rooms that contained the woman he loved. She had recently been extubated and was breathing on her own but she was still wired up to so much that she looked more machine than robot. She hadn't actually woken up yet but the resident had been adamant that he would see her but now he wasn't so sure.

Neela looked so weak and vulnerable - so small in the hospital bed. Her eyelids closed, hiding the brown, chocolate pools of emotion beneath. Her cheeks were pale and there were several cuts and grazes marring her beautiful features. The covers of the bed were drawn up over her, shielding any other injuries from his view.

The watching man took a deep breath and pushed open the door and wheeled himself into the room. He rolled over to her bedside and halted there. Lifting his hand slowly, he brought it to her face and traced his fingers along her scars and brushed some of her raven locks away.

"Neela," he whispered, "Please wake up. I need to see your eyes to know you're ok. I need you to smile and tell me I'm being overly worried when you're absolutely fine."

Ray smiled sadly down at the small perfect face and then kissed her gently on the forehead. "I'm sorry for not noticing you know. I thought I'd lost you for good when you just collapsed and no one was coming…Neela….I didn't think anyone would find us in time. You were dying in my arms and there was nothing I could do. So much for being a doctor when you can't even save the person you love most in the world. It's true. That wasn't just a spur of the moment thing. I really do love you. I have for ages." The man admitted this and wondered why he was doing it considering she wasn't even awake and he would have to do it all over again. But what he didn't know that Neela was awake. She had woken to the sound of his voice. She was so glad he was ok and they'd pulled through but she thought this would be easier for him if he thought she was asleep.

"I just never knew when the right moment was to tell you. I mean, you were married for Christ's sake and I was deeply in love with you and living in the same apartment. Do you know I lived for those moments when I spent time with you in front of the telly or eating Chinese with you? And those little glimpses of your body when I caught you unawares coming out of the shower or the bedroom when you thought no one was in the apartment. But then you left. That was probably the worst day of my life, you'd half discovered my little secret and I knew you were developing feelings for me. Every time I came home from work everything felt wrong and empty. I was desperate for the day when you might come back and just be part of my life again," Ray chuckled to himself, feeling himself blush, shameful of his feelings towards his ex roommate, "And you know what? When Michael died I felt so guilty because I was happy and that made me an awful person. How can you be happy at someone's death? That's just wrong. But I was, I thought now…now is the time you would need me the most and maybe I had a chance. You pushed me away though and I couldn't bare it. Especially when you got together with Gates."

"You've told me all this before," Neela's eyes flickered open and Ray jumped, startled before regaining the ability to talk.

"But I wanted to tell you again. Properly. Not just because we were stuck in a hole with barely any chance of escape. I want you to know I mean it."

"I know you mean it Ray," Neela said hoarsely, "I love you too."

Ray grinned at her, his face a patchwork of vivid purple bruises, yellowy fading bruises, stitches and grazes. Neela wondered if her face looked like his. It probably did but not as bad as it wouldn't contrast as much as his pale skin. The arms that were resting on the edge of her bed and the one hand gripping her own were also littered with scrapes and ugly blackish blue contusions. She dreaded to think of the mangled mess his leg may still be in considering how bad it had looked just in the dark but she decided against questioning. That could wait.

It was then that Ray leant over her and she frowned for a second, wondering what he was doing when suddenly she felt his lips on her hers. It felt good. His lips were soft and she ran her tongue along them before diving into his mouth just as he did the same to her. He lifted his rough hands to her face and stroked her cheeks, staring passionately into her eyes and not wanting to break the kiss.

Neela pulled away though and Ray must've portrayed his concern and worry because she laughed out loud.

"Calm down, Ray, its fine, I liked it I just think we have to take things slow considering I look like this," she gestured down at herself, "And your looking pretty worse for wear too."

"Thanks, Neela," Ray smirked, pretending to look offended.

"Your welcome, we've both seen better days but it could've been worse so let's think of that and not how battered we look. Ok?"

"Sure, but can I kiss you again, please?"

"I guess," the corners of Neela's lips turned up as their mouths met again.

* * *

Carter, Abby and Luka looked through the window of ICU at the couple but turned away to give them some privacy.

"She could tear her stitches doing that. Think I should stop them?" Abby grinned.

"No leave them be. Don't you wish to be that young again?" Carter replied, "Care free and in love?"

"Yeah, but we're getting on a bit now," the woman chuckled, "Seen better days, all of us right?" She looked pointedly at her husband who was spattered with stitches all over the place.

"Yep, but it's nice to know that there are still young people out there that are just made for each other," Luka answered.

"So how long are you staying here, Carter? Considering we don't actually have a hospital anymore?"

"Well, County is not as bad as it looks. Most of the damage is just internal not constructional. With a bit of TLC it'll be right in no time. I can donate some money to get it up and running again."

"So you are staying?"

"Yes, for good."

**Yay, Carter's back! I wish! Anyway, they all live happily ever after! I know it was slightly rushed but I just wanted to finish it and I was fed up with taking ages to update! Review!**


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